Emelia Yassir has kicked three goals to lead Richmond to a thrilling seven-point AFLW win over Geelong in a result that has killed off the Cats’ slim finals hopes.
In a final quarter that featured five lead changes, late goals to Yassir and Katie Brennan lifted Richmond to the 6.10(46) to 5.9(39) win at the Swinburne Centre in Melbourne.
The result improved the Tigers to 6-2 and put them right in the mix for a top-four berth.
But Geelong, with two wins, five losses and one draw to its name, are almost certain to miss the finals even if it wins its remaining three games.
“I’m a bit in awe of what the girls put up, the fight we showed,” Richmond’s Kate Dempsey told Fox Sports following the win in what was her 50-game milestone.
“We’ve owed Geelong a big game for a long time. They’re hard to beat. I can’t believe it.”
Star Richmond midfielder Monique Conti racked up 27 disposals, seven clearances and 1.3, while for Geelong it was forward Aishling Moloney (23 disposals, one goal) who produced a dazzling display.
The match featured plenty of spice, and tempers threatened to boil over after the three-quarter-time siren when what started out as a push-and-shove resulted in players from both sides rushing in.
Geelong’s Nina Morrison and Claudia Gunjaca were in the thick of it, along with Richmond duo Caitlin Greiser and Eilish Sheerin.
The Cats won the inside-50m count 12-6 in the opening term with the aid of a strong breeze, but their only reward was a goal from Kate Surman for a 9-2 lead at the first break.
Yassir scored Richmond’s first goal early in the second quarter after taking a brave mark running with the flight of the ball, and Conti nailed a 40m set shot to give the Tigers a five-point edge at half-time.
Geelong’s Rachel Kearns was left with a swollen right eye and a game-ending concussion following an accidental clash of heads with Ellie McKenzie in the second quarter.
Moloney’s strong mark on the behind line and subsequent goal in the third quarter helped give Geelong a two-point lead heading into the final change.
The danger signs were there for Geelong early in the final quarter as Richmond pushed hard with a series of re-entries.
Brennan thought she had scored a goal, only for her snap to be touched on the line.
Then Conti’s flying shot from 65m rolled into the post, levelling the scores with more than 14 minutes remaining.
Sheerin’s snap from the pocket gave the Tigers the lead, before Kate Darby put Geelong back in front with less than five minutes to go.
But Richmond came up trumps when it mattered most, with Yassir nailing a set shot from a tight angle, before Brennan put the icing on the cake with her late goal.
